SourcingAug 23, 2023
692-Carat Diamond Recovered From Karowe Mine SourcingSep 11, 2023
Greenland Ruby Has Shut Down Its Mine
The company said operations have been on hold since January because the mine wasn’t meeting production expectations.
This file photo shows a Greenland Ruby worker holding a piece of rough from the mine. The company’s Aappaluttoq ruby and pink sapphire mine has suspended operations, but it is exploring other sources, reports say.
New York—Greenland Ruby has suspended operations at its Aappaluttoq ruby and pink sapphire mine because it wasn’t producing enough gemstones.
GemGuide, which was first to report the news in the trade, published a story back in August quoting Greenland Ruby Chief Commercial Officer Hayley Henning, who said production at the site hadn’t been meeting expectations for the past year or so.
Michele Billam, the company’s chief sales and merchandising officer told JCK last week that mining operations had been suspended for care and maintenance since January.
Henning referred all questions about the reports to Greenland Ruby CEO Arnt Erick Rørnes, who did not respond to an email request for comment by deadline.
Greenland newspaper Sermitsiaq reported last month the mine had a debt of 509 million Danish kroner, which is about $73 million at current exchange rates.
The company has closed offices and let go of employees.
The mine laid off 30 workers at the beginning of the year and later let go of the remaining seven, according to Sermitsiaq.
In a 2017 National Jeweler interview with Henning, she said life of mine for Aappaluttoq was expected to be about nine years.
She also said exploration identified two other potential sites for ruby mining, but at that time, the company was “not really there yet” in terms of moving forward at the sites.
Billam told JCK that exploratory mining had begun at two sites for which the company holds licenses.
In addition to exploration, there is still rough material to be processed and ruby inventory is still stocked in Thailand, but “sales have been very low,” according to Billam.
Related stories will be right here …
GemGuide, which was first to report the news in the trade, published a story back in August quoting Greenland Ruby Chief Commercial Officer Hayley Henning, who said production at the site hadn’t been meeting expectations for the past year or so.
Michele Billam, the company’s chief sales and merchandising officer told JCK last week that mining operations had been suspended for care and maintenance since January.
Henning referred all questions about the reports to Greenland Ruby CEO Arnt Erick Rørnes, who did not respond to an email request for comment by deadline.
Greenland newspaper Sermitsiaq reported last month the mine had a debt of 509 million Danish kroner, which is about $73 million at current exchange rates.
The company has closed offices and let go of employees.
The mine laid off 30 workers at the beginning of the year and later let go of the remaining seven, according to Sermitsiaq.
In a 2017 National Jeweler interview with Henning, she said life of mine for Aappaluttoq was expected to be about nine years.
She also said exploration identified two other potential sites for ruby mining, but at that time, the company was “not really there yet” in terms of moving forward at the sites.
Billam told JCK that exploratory mining had begun at two sites for which the company holds licenses.
In addition to exploration, there is still rough material to be processed and ruby inventory is still stocked in Thailand, but “sales have been very low,” according to Billam.
Greenland Ruby had been producing rubies as well as pink sapphires at the Aappaluttoq ruby mining site in the southwest region of Greenland since 2017. It’s the country’s first corundum mine.
The area originally was being mined by True North Gems, but following its announcement of voluntary bankruptcy in September 2016, the mining license for the Aappaluttoq Ruby Mine was awarded to LNS Greenland, an investor in the project.
Greenland Ruby A/S, its sister company, was established in October 2016 to take over the exploration license and handle the promotion and sales of the mine’s output.
A 2019 GemGuide article by Stuart M. Robertson, GIA GG, said Greenland Ruby’s acquisition of the necessary permits to export and market gemstones allowed commercial quantities of these rubies and sapphires to enter the international gem trade.
He said a combination of the stones’ affordable price point, which started at below $100 per carat, along with their mine-to-market traceability, made Greenland rubies attractive to the market.
In January of this year, Greenland Ruby announced it had appointed Rørnes, who was previously working with parent company Leonhard Nislen & Sonner AS (LNS), as its new CEO.
He succeeded Magnus Kibsgaard.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
EditorsSep 15, 2025
Skipping the Necklace, Embracing Snakes: The Best Jewelry From the 2025 Emmy AwardsAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco shares eight of her favorite jewelry looks from the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, held Sunday night.
SurveysSep 15, 2025
Resilient Shoppers to Boost Holiday Retail Sales, Says DeloitteIt’s predicting a rise in retail sales this holiday season despite economic uncertainty and elevated inflation.
EditorsSep 12, 2025
Out & About: Mining Sapphires in Rock Creek, MontanaAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore headed out West for a visit to Potentate Mining’s operation hosted by gemstone wholesaler Parlé Gems.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
TrendsSep 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Arunashi’s Fordite and Rhodolite EarringsFordite is a man-made material created from the layers of dried enamel paint that dripped onto the floors of automotive factories.
Weekly QuizSep 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsSep 12, 2025
Al Gilbertson Wins 2025 Robert M. Shipley AwardGilbertson has worked as a researcher, jeweler, lapidary artist, appraiser, and business owner throughout his decades in the industry.
Policies & IssuesSep 11, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case in November A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
MajorsSep 11, 2025
Tabayer Opens Nordstrom Shop-In-ShopLocated in the revamped jewelry hall at the retailer’s New York City flagship, this opening is Tabayer’s first shop-in-shop.
SourcingSep 11, 2025
Need to Sell More Natural Diamonds? De Beers Has an App for ThatThe new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
Stuller to Swap Gold Scrap for Full Credit to AccountAs the gold price rises, the manufacturer is offering a 100 percent payout through Sept. 30 for gold clean scrap.
SourcingSep 10, 2025
Tech Meets Style in the New Loewe x Jacob & Co. HeadphonesJacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.
TrendsSep 10, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Archival Jewels Bring Life to ‘Frankenstein’Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.
SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
Phillips Names Dianne Batista Head of Jewels, New YorkThe industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.
MajorsSep 09, 2025
MJSA Education Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersThe nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.
IndependentsSep 08, 2025
Take a Look Inside the New Korman Store in AustinThe Texas-based jeweler has also undergone a brand refresh, debuting a new website and logo.
MajorsSep 08, 2025
MJSA Is Officially Now Under JA’s UmbrellaThe two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.
AuctionsSep 08, 2025
Sotheby’s To Auction ‘Exceptional’ Collection of JAR, Suzanne Belperron JewelsThe single-owner sale will headline Sotheby's inaugural jewelry auction at the Breuer building, its new global headquarters, this December.
Events & AwardsSep 08, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
WatchesSep 05, 2025
Patrick Mahomes Is the New Hublot Brand AmbassadorThe Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.
